Paint the Snow Crimson
by Zukofan23
Summary: This is part of my new story. What will happen when a Central Soldier, Maya Malone, is transferred to Briggs and meets a certain Ishvalan? Maya begins to feel like a rabbit in a world of bears. Miles X OC
1. Welcome to Fort Briggs

I sat at my desk, overlooking the activity in my office. Travis Hart, the dirty blonde haired second lieutenant was sitting down, mindlessly polishing his pistol. His green eyes were fixated on his "work." James Pierce, my first lieutenant, was vigorously signing paperwork to complete his transfer to my team in order to stay in Central. He used to be a member of Hughes' Investigation Department before he was mysteriously murdered. He had brown hair that fell into his face and blue eyes that were covered by a pair of reading glasses. Stormy Remington, the only girl on my team besides myself, was running about, polishing miscellaneous things, including her coworkers' faces. She had her long blonde hair tucked underneath her hat and clothes that restricted her feminine figure, giving her the look of a teenage boy. Josiah McCloud, the communications officer, was fumbling about with multiple wires. He had short ginger hair with shiny blue eyes and freckles. The newest addition to our team, newer than Pierce, was Jae Forrest, the Blackwater Alchemist. She had black hair, blue eyes, a beautiful body and was currently going on and on about Jean Havoc.

"Company, ma'am," a lowly sergeant squeaked from outside. My eyes narrowed as I went through my mental list of people that would want to visit one of us. But who walked in was not who I expected.

"Colonel Malone, Lieutenant Colonel Forrest, I have some orders for you," the Fuhror walked in. Everyone was on their feet in the second, saluting the dictator. He returned the gesture. "You're being transferred," he practically threw the orders at us. I caught them, glaring into the green eye of the Fuhror.

"But sir, what about my team?" I asked.

"They'll be under Colonel Mustang's command from now on."

"And his team?" Blackwater asked.

"They've all been relocated. You two are going to Fort Briggs. Lieutenant General Armstrong will be expecting you by the week's end. That is all," and with that, the Fuhror left my office. I stared there for a moment in shock, wondering what had just happened. We were at a loss for words.

"You're the leader I want," Pierce broke the silence. I turned to peer into his icy blue eyes. "I lost Hughes and now you," he looked down sadly. I couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was going through so many changes and now I was part of what was causing him sadness. I was about to answer when Remington spoke.

"I don't want to follow that playboy!" she said.

"He'll make us do his work!" McCloud complained.

"Enough," I said stoically. They were instantly silenced. "Colonel Mustang is not a bad leader. I should know. He led me into battle in Ishval. I also know because Mustang is my older brother. He's a more honorable person than me. You'll be fine," I tried to reassure my team. "I'll make sure he treats you right. It's been an honor to have you on my team," I saluted them as though I were making a final farewell.

A moment passed before they returned the gesture. Then, I realized something… something horrible. I turned to Blackwater. By the look on her face, she had realized it as well. "Lieutenant… General… Armstrong," she gasped. I flashed back to basic training with the monster of a woman always breathing down our necks, shooting bullets into the sky right behind our heads, forcing us well beyond our limits.

"She's gonna kill us," the very thought of seeing her again made my blood run cold.

"M-maybe she won't recognize us," Blackwater said. "It has been years since basic training."

"I'm going to go say my good-byes," I said, a hint of sadness to my voice. I was now positive that these were indeed my final farewells.

I walked out of my office and through the building. I was lazy in my stroll to the other side of the building. It could very well be the last time I was stationed in Central Command. I passed all the hustling and bustling men, silently wishing I had at least known their names. Central may be corrupt with higher-ranking officers, but it was still a nice place to work. The lower ranking soldiers were kind hearted and loyal. Before I knew it, I was at my destination… Colonel Roy Mustang's office.

"Knock, knock," I said as I knocked on his door. For once, his office was vacant, save for Lieutenant Hawkeye grabbing something from a bookshelf. He looked up from his mountain of paperwork, bags under his eyes from lack of a morning nap. His onyx eyes held a hint of disappointment behind them. I knew he was upset about his team being scattered to the far corners of our countries. His raven black hair was in its casual manner.

"What's up, Colonel Malone?" he asked, returning his eyes to his paperwork. I walked up to him, throwing the manila envelope that contained my orders atop his work. "What are you-" he looked down at it, silencing himself immediately as he opened it. He took a moment to read over it. "Briggs?" he asked. "You're being transferred to Briggs?"

"Take a look at my new commanding officer," I pointed.

"Lieutenant General Armstrong?" he asked. He realized my issue. "I wish you the best of luck," he said, carelessly returning my orders. I stared at him in shock.

"Some brother you are! You're not going to help me?"

"I can't do anything!"

"You could talk to the Fuhror!"

"Why would he listen to me?" he asked.

"You have to try!"

"I don't _have _to do anything," he replied.

"Blackwater is being transferred too," I smirked. He stared at me, blinking in shock. I knew he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend.

"I have to stop this. I'm going to talk to the Fuhror," he stormed away. I heard yelling in some part of the building. Moments later, he returned, looking like a scolded puppy. "He said I was the most disrespectful dog in the military and it would do me good to mind my own business."

"Just like last year on your birthday when I tried to surprise you with homemade cupcakes and you just gallabanted into my apartment?"

"This has nothing to do with that!" he huffed. "Besides… it was my apartment and there was smoke coming out of the window."

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "I have to go pack. I'm leaving tonight," I turned to leave.

"Wait," Roy grabbed my wrist. "It's cold in Briggs, so don't forget a coat. And don't forget to study. And call me when you can. Eat some meat to bulk up… Don't worry about the Briggs soldiers. They may be big, but I bet they're all like Major Armstrong," he tried to encourage. "Please be careful," he pulled me into a warm embrace.

"I will," I hugged him back.

Clearing his throat, he pulled back, pretending to brush something off my shoulder. "You don't want to miss your train," he escorted me to the door. I walked forward, looking back at him. "Bye, Sis," he said.

"Bye, Bro," I turned and left Central Command.

Upon leaving the train at Northern Command, we approached the grand wall of Briggs. It was the biggest wall I had ever seen in my life! It went clear from one mountain side to the adjacent one! It looked as though it kissed the snowy gray skies of Briggs. On the top, lined with husky soldiers, stood Lieutenant General Olivier Armstrong. Blackwater and I were shocked to find the soldiers taking aim at us. In an attempt to preserve our lives, Blackwater and I drew our silver, state-issued pocket watches. "Stand down, men!" she barked loudly. I was surprised to find how clearly her voice resonated through the land, despite the howling wind of the oncoming blizzard. All the men obediently withdrew their guns. "What are you doing here?" she ordered.

"We've been transferred to Briggs, ma'am!" Blackwater called, saluting her respectfully.

"I know that! But I don't want pampered scraps from Central like you corrupting my hardworking men! I bet you've forgotten everything about your training too! I'm ashamed to have been the teacher of such notorious lapdogs! If you can get to the top of this wall, then I'll accept you as my soldier!" she crossed her arms in anticipation. Her words seared right through my pride. I looked at Blackwater, who looked as though she suffered the same wound I had. We looked each other in the eyes before nodding once. We knew we'd have to impress our old teacher, so we planned on doing the impossible. We made plans to run up the Briggs Wall.

We rain to the mountain side and began our trek. It was a perfect combination between mountain climbing and running. The strain on our bodies wasn't too terribly bad… not until we made it half way to the top. I lost velocity, my heart began to race. Before I knew it, I was falling. But Blackwater foresaw this problem. She used her alchemy to transform the snow around the wall into an ice hand that caught me. "Goin' up!" Blackwater called. Before I knew it, I was about 20 feet over the wall, staring down at the soldiers. Uttering a silent prayer, I fell to what was sure to be my death.

I landed hard, but not on the unforgiving, frozen ceiling of Fort Briggs. I opened my eyes to see a tan man with a fluffy black coat over the usual blue uniform of the Amestrian military. From his bars and stripes, I could deem he was a major. His hair was as white as the snow that fell from the sky. I looked over just in time to see Blackwater land theatrically in front of General Armstrong, her raven black hair disoriented and in her face. Letting out a laugh, she said, "Welcome to Fort Briggs. Meet me in my office in ten minutes. WE have a lot to discuss," she disappeared into the Fort.

I sighed in relief before the man below me cleared his throat. I looked down, reddening in embarrassment before jumping up. "S-Sorry!" I almost saluted him before realizing that I was a higher ranked officer. He stood up, standing a great deal taller than me, dusting off his uniform.

"Smooth," Blackwater walked up to us. "Who is Mister Tall, Tan and Handsome?" she nudged me, indicating to the man I had fallen on.

"I am Major Miles," he saluted respectfully.

"Lieutenant Colonel Jae Forrest," she saluted back.

"Colonel Maya Malone," I copied their gestures.

"Allow me to escort you to your barracks before accompanying you to your meeting with the general," he gestured towards the door. We nodded before following the major. He led us through a multitude of convoluted hallways, throwing off my sense of direction in the process. We finally approached a room, no larger than a janitor closet. A bunk bed was in the corner, two small dressers against the far wall. "You Central soldiers need to prove yourselves before moving up," he said. "Therefore, you start in the worst barrack in the Fort," he explained.

"Sounds like her, alright," I nodded.

After a moment, Blackwater smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she said proudly.

"I take it you are already associated with General Armstrong's policies, then?" he leaned in the doorway, crossing his arms as we set our luggage down.

"Yeah," Blackwater said. "We met a long time ago."

"She was our drill sergeant back at basic," I explained. "It took us forever to get her to actually pass us."

We stretched before walking out of the room.

"Do you think you could get back here on your own?" Miles asked, adjusting his sunglasses. Blackwater and I looked at each other before laughing boisterously.

"Not no, but heck no," Blackwater said.

Miles let a cocky, superior grin break out on his face. "It will be fun to see you get used to Briggs," he said before leading us out.

"Hey," I caught up with him, matching my strides to his. I was a little insulted at how he underestimated us. "Don't you know who we are?" I asked. He raised a brow, clearly amused. "We're the Lightning and Blackwater Alchemists," I said. "And I did mention I'm a colonel, right?"

"Well, Colonel," he nearly spat. "Your reputation won't get you anything here, not support, not glory, not even friends. The only thing that will help you is your survival instinct, your loyalty and how you use your skills," he said. "Your alchemic abilities mean next to nothing here," he grinned as we approached a giant door. "If anything, your reputation will only hurt you. Everyone knows that State Alchemists are the military's obedient dogs."

"So, in a nutshell, we need to make our own reputation?" Blackwater asked.

"Now you get it," he opened the door.

"I don't think we're in Central anymore," I whispered to Blackwater as we walked in. The door closed behind us and we were left alone with the Ice Queen.


	2. An Apology?

"Stop that saluting and sit down!" she barked.

Blackwater and I instantly fell to the ground where we stood, obediently following her orders. It was just like we were back at basic again. "Now why would Central send two of their high ranked officers all the way to Briggs?"

"Good question, ma'am," Blackwater said, beginning to talk to her smoothly. I looked down, trying to think of a reason as to why we had been sent to this arctic wasteland. It could've been because we knew too much about the Homunculi or were about to uncover too much. It might have been a result of us fighting that shadow Homunculus, Pride.

"What aren't you two telling me?" her voice was softer, but still just as authoritative. I looked deep into her icy blue eyes. I didn't know if we could trust her. But we had no choice. We then delved into a tale of Homunculi and conspiracies.

"I see," she said, nodding comprehensively. "So you stuck your noses where they didn't belong and you were punished for it," she said. "Not bad… for Central soldiers, she smirked. Her praise caught us off guard before she continued. "Your files say you've been certified as State Alchemists," she said. "One of you right before the Ishval War and one during it, Lightning and Blackwater," she commented. Blackwater and I physically flinched at the mention of Ishval. Of course, the Ice Queen noticed. "Tell me about the war. We don't have any Ishval vets here," she ordered.

"Where do you want us to start?" Blackwater asked, flipping some stray black hair out of her face.

"What were your orders in Ishval?"

"Kill every Ishvalan we saw," I crossed my arms, casting my gaze downward. "You act as though you don't know when your own brother was deployed with us," I said, trying not to remember the look on Major Armstrong's face as he blocked the only escape route for some Ishvalans, ensuring their deaths.

"My brother was a coward!" she exclaimed.

"No," I retaliated.

"No?" she demanded.

"Alex got out. He knew the Hell we lived and the Hell we were causing. Those that left, willingly or not, they were the lucky ones," Blackwater explained. "The rest of us were stuck there, killing innocent people," her voice trembled. "I was ordered to help an Ishvalan woman deliver her baby… then take the baby… and kill it," her voice was barely audible. "He didn't even have a name."

"I killed people as a group. I sent lightning through the ground," I explained. "In one group, I murdered one of my childhood friends. His sister, another friend of mine, wanted revenge. To stay alive, I had to kill her too," I clenched my fists.

"I wish I hadn't passed you two!" she yelled.

"Because our humanity makes us weak?" Blackwater asked.

"Because if I hadn't, you wouldn't have been deployed. Very few people had the potential to make it through a war. I thought you two had that potential," she tucked a lock of her long blonde hair behind her ear. "But Ishval was more than just war… It was a massacre, as I'm sure you two know better than any of us," she explained. "It would take either a superhuman or a psychopath to come out of Ishval unscathed. If I wasn't needed on the home front, I would have been there with you."

That almost sounded like… an apology. I smiled, mentally accepting it. The moment I did, I felt a harsh slap across my cheek, the force sending me to the ground. I held my burning cheek, glaring at the Ice Queen. "What was that for!" I demanded.

"For not telling me your older brother is Colonel Mustang!" she answered

I continued to glare daggers.

"Major Miles will show you the ropes. You are dismissed," she said. With that, we left the room.

"How'd it go?" Miles smirked.

"Don't wanna talk about it," I walked past him.

"Our old teacher showed her the consequences of keeping secrets from her," Blackwater laughed.

"Don't feel bad, Colonel," Miles said. "Everyone here has something they want to hide."

"Did she ever slap any of them?" I could physically feel the anger emanating off of my body.

"Well, none that I can remember," Miles replied.

It was official. I hated Briggs.

"You make me hate my life," I complained to Miles as I walked into the mess hall, shivering. Miles had me scraping icicles from the Fort upon my arrival. It had been a few days and I was still stuck doing the same meticulous job. I had to be grateful, though. Despite the snowing weather outside, Miles kept me company while I did the work, keeping me entertained with his conversation. He had left me to finish while he got our dinner from the mess hall.

"Your uniform is flimsy," he commented, spooning at his brown glop of food.

"Excuse me?" I took my seat next to him.

"The reason you probably hate your life is because you're cold," he explained. "First off, we have a coat that we can put over our uniform. You Central soldiers never needed the extra insulation. And under the coat," he unzipped his coat, shrugging it away. His blue uniform was fluffier than mine. "See? It's made of a thicker material and there's more protection from the elements," he explained. I nodded before turning to my food, attempting to hide my shivering. I sat up straight, trying to play the part of the classy Central soldier as I slowly ate my food, despite my annoying shivering. Rolling his eyes, he said, "Take your jacket off," he ordered as he began removing his own jacket. He exposed a tight, white muscle shirt. I found myself marveling at his muscles that seemed to flex with every miniscule movement. I wriggled out of my tighter jacket, not realizing some of the snow had made it wet. I set my jacket down only to have him put his around me. It was so much thicker than my Central uniform. I found myself snuggling into it, welcoming the body heat it had retained from Miles. I put my arms through the sleeves, trying to button it. "No, no, no," he said, zipping it from underneath the flap. "The buttons are just for show," he explained. He put his black coat back on, covering his muscles. "I'll have a Briggs uniform for you soon. Just make this do for a day or so."

"What about you?" I asked as he brought his hand away from the zipper. I looked into his bespectacled eyes.

"I have a lot more," he said.

"Oh… Th-thanks," I found myself fighting the urge to blush.

"And you want some thicker gloves too," he indicated to my thin white gloves.

"No, I think I'll keep these. I need easy access to my bare hand," I removed one glove exposing a tattoo on my palm of a lightning transmutation circle. "My brother puts gloves on to perform alchemy and I take them off," I explained, putting the glove back on. "Where's Blackwater?"

"She's been on the phone for some time now," he said. "As soon as she finished her job, she wanted to call Central."

"She's probably talking to Lieutenant Havoc," I snickered, earning a look of confusion from the major. "Her boyfriend," I explained.

"Oh… I see," he said. "Do you have anyone? Someone you'd like to call, I mean?" he asked.

"Only one person I could think of," I answered. "The Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang," I finished.

"I hear he's quite the ladies' man," he stared at his steamed vegetables.

"Yeah," I chuckled. "I've even kissed him a time or two," I said, earning another strange look as he took a bite of his vegetables. "He's kind of my older brother," I explained, resulting in him choking on the food he was chewing on. I watched as he forced the food down before elaborating. "One of my brother's subordinates wasn't working up to his normal standard. We found out his problem was his lack of a girlfriend. So Colonel Mustang told me to date him for a while then get him to break up with me. But that was the hard part," I said. "Who would want to break up with all this?" I asked, indicating to my feminine physique, earning an amused grin from Miles. "Desperate times called for desperate measures. I kissed him, making sure my 'boyfriend' saw. Not long after that, he broke up with me and I was free!" I laughed. My laugh was soon accompanied by Miles'.

"Not bad," he smiled, looking at me happily. "You know, you're not half bad… for a Central soldier.


	3. Those Darn Zippers

A few more days had passed and Blackwater and I were slowly getting adjusted to the swing of things here at Briggs. I was making my ordinary rounds, checking for icicles after a night of sentry duty. The weather was violent and the wind nipped at my thin pants and exposed face. Deeming the Fort icicle-free, I turned back and decided to head to the mess hall to get some breakfast. After clocking out for the night, I headed for the mess hall. "Colonel!" I bumped into the Briggs Tailor. He saluted me quickly before saying, "Your new uniform is ready."

Smiling, I went to my barrack. I had finally learned to navigate my way through the convoluted chambers of the Fort. There, on my bunk, sat five bundles of Briggs uniforms, fitted to match my figure precisely. I opened one and began to put it on. The extra padding restricted my natural feminine curves. It was a lot heavier than my Central uniform, making quick movements difficult. But at least now I didn't stick out like a sore thumb. I wouldn't freeze anymore. I looked at myself in the mirror. The uniform was deceptive, making me look like I had more muscles than I actually possessed. "Briggs looks pretty good on you," I heard a familiar voice I'd come to admire. In the corner of my mirror, I could see Miles standing in the doorway.

"Miles!" a smile broke out on my face. We had become great friends in such a short span of time. "Do you really think so?" I asked.

"I think it'd be better if you actually zipped your jacket," he commented. I looked down laughing softly.

"I just hadn't gotten that far," I chuckled, beginning to zip. It went up so smoothly and suddenly… it stuck. It was stuck midway to the top. It was right by my left breast. I proceeded to try and zip it all the way up, to no avail after each attempt. My fingers turned white with the amount of pressure I was using. Suddenly, I saw tan hands removing mine from the zipper.

"You Central soldiers can't even zip zippers?" he chuckled, unzipping it before succeeding easily. I blushed as his hand approached the top of the zipper, right above my left breast. "Get over yourself," he chuckled darkly.

"Close the door if you're going to be doing that!" Blackwater scolded, gallabanting on in anyways. She plopped on her bunk and opened some old researcher's journal. She had been looking in the archaic book every chance she had. When she had free time, she was either gossiping with Lieutenant Havoc or reading that darn book. The only thing we did in the same vicinity was sleep.

"I-It's the zipper," I tried to explain.

"You don't need to lie to me," she said. "I know you want him," she grinned from behind her book.

"There," Miles pulled his hand back. He seemed to have taken no heed to the crude comment. I was the only one that suffered from embarrassment. I walked out of the room and down the hall, my appetite suddenly diminished. "Colonel," Miles called, catching up with me. "Have you had breakfast yet? I could go get us some," he offered. I shook my head.

"Nah, I think I'm going to take a walk. I haven't gotten to properly assess my environment," I said. "Do you want to come?" I asked, hopeful he'd say yes.

"I better not. General Armstrong needs me today. I've spent too long helping you out," he declined, much to my disappointment. I instantly felt guilty at being the source of General Armstrong's wrath towards him. But he didn't seem too worried about. He seemed happy to suffer the fate, even. "Well, just be careful, Colonel," he warned. "Don't wander off too far. A storm's headed our way. If you're not back within two hours, I'll send a search party. If a tundra bear doesn't kill you, then I will," he said before curtly departing. I made a face as I compared Miles to a bear…

I climbed the cliff side that was to the left of the fort. The snow was falling slowly, not in a violent torrent like usual. It didn't seem like a storm was on its way. The snowfall now was almost peaceful. All around me, trees reigned. I exhaled deeply, amused by my breath freezing upon contact with the outside air. I walked on, listening to the sound of my new snow boots crush the snow beneath my feet. It didn't feel quite like my feet made contact with the ground though. I found myself grateful for my new Briggs uniform and the warmth it brought.

I looked up to watch the snow falling. The wind tossed the flakes this way and that before finally landing softly on the ground. Some snowflakes found their way to my face, melting upon contact. One valiant flake managed to land on my eyelash. The soft flurries were so light and lifelike, almost like a child. Children could be so innocent and fun, but could be screaming and throwing a fit the next moment. At that moment, I realized how soon the weather could change from this peacefulness to a violent storm.

I walked on, finding myself comparing this snow to Ishval. The flurries were like the military's residence in Ishval for the years preluding the war. The raging and howling winds were factors that contributed to the storm. The blizzard was the war, blinding and deadly. I recalled a time back in Ishval when I took on an Ishvalan twice my size. He had a couple of guns pointed at me. The streets were illuminated only by moonlight, making vision difficult. He was hiding in different shadows and alleyways, shooting at me from different positions in the darkness. As soon as I heard him shoot a bullet, I'd change my position. But suddenly, I tripped and fell. When I looked up, I saw the silhouette of the man in the moonlight.

A giant roar brought me back to the frozen wasteland. Somehow, I was on the ground like I was in the flashback, looking up. Only this time, I didn't find a man's silhouette, but a bear's. And not just any bear's, a tundra bear's… I stared into the bear's rabid eyes as it stood on its hind legs, raising one massive paw to the air. The shadow of the paw covered my whole face. This bear had to be twice the size of a grizzly. I closed my eyes, anticipating the swipe. "Colonel Malone!" I heard a voice yell, followed by the sound of a bullet piercing the air. I opened my eyes again only to find the tundra bear roaring in agony as he fell from his hind legs onto his back, proceeding to roll around. "Malone," I felt a hand roughly grab my uniform, pulling me to my feet. I turned to see Miles. "Let's go before he-!"

The bear roared once more, but a different kind of roar. It wasn't filled with pain and agony.

"What's he doing?" I asked, hearing something thundering around me.

"He called his friends," Miles said as two more tundra bears emerged. The bears circled us as their injured friends escaped. Miles grabbed my wrist, putting himself in front of me.

"Well, what do we do?" I asked, watching as the bears continued to circle us.

Miles looked around, his grasp on my wrist tightening. I sighed, resolving to take care of the bears myself. "Your helplessness is cute," I laughed, pulling away from his grasp. He glared at my comment. The bears made eye contact with us. "Time to show you how I made colonel," I stripped the white gloves from my hands to expose my tattooed palms. As the massive white creatures charged, I placed my hands on the ground, activating the circles. I looked up, expecting to see the bears keeling over as the two bolts of lightning were sent through their bodies.

To my fatal dismay, the bears turned to see two trees falling, thanks to my bad aim. "What was that! Central will make anyone a colonel!" Miles yelled. I felt where I had placed my palms only to see it was snow, not the actual ground. Its mushiness must have thrown off my lightning's trajectory. "Got any more bright ideas!" he demanded as the bears charged once more.

"Distract them!" I ordered, beginning to dig through the snow, with my bare hands, in an attempt to reach the solid ground.

"But I… Fine!" he said, knowing we didn't have the time to argue. I heard a few gunshots followed by the thundering of paws. I tried my best to ignore Miles' cursing as I continued to dig. The snow was freezing as I dug up more and more of it. My fingers began to freeze and movement became harder and harder. They tightened and stiffened in retaliation as I forced them to continue. I almost didn't realize I'd hit the brown dirt beneath all the snow due to the newfound numbness in my hand.

"Major, move!" I ordered, looking up to see their positions. He looked at me questionably from one of the bear's backs. He looked me in the eyes before obediently jumping down, barely avoiding the other bear's fatal jaws. I barely noticed his sunglasses flying through the air. In the same instant, I activated the circles, sending the lightning through the actual ground this time. I was able to pinpoint exactly where the electricity would hit this time. Just as the massive bear was about to finish off Miles, my bolt propelled itself through the bear's nervous system, killing it instantly. The other one soon met the same fate.

Sighing in relief that the fiasco was over, I pushed myself up and walked over to Miles, who was doing the same. "Not too bad-"

"For a Central soldier?" I asked, ignoring my aching fingers.

"I was going to say… not too bad, Lightning Alchemist," he smiled.

"Oh," I blushed at the compliment.

"Your hands must be cold," he commented, pulling off his gloves. I looked down at my hands, seeing them turning a slight blue color.

"I stopped feeling them earlier," I tried to shrug it off and look in control.

"And you weren't worried about that?" he asked, inspecting my hands closely. "You'll get frostbite if you keep that up, idiot," he said, softly massaging my hands with his toasty warm ones in an attempt to rekindle the feeling.

"I was more worried about you," I admitted as I looked up into his eyes. When I got a good look of his eyes, all breath left me. I suddenly felt winded, my body frozen in shock. His eyes were a beautiful ruby red. As I stared, I could see all the eyes of my Ishvalan victims, all those that I had murdered… every man, woman, and child, they were all reflected in Miles' eyes.

"Colonel?" Miles asked.

"I, uh," I looked away, instantly ashamed to be this close to him. "I'll go start a fire," I tried to jerk my hands away from him.

"No," he said, grabbing my hands. "You'll get frostbite for sure," he insisted.

"But if we had a fire, I wouldn't have to take your warmth," I tried to reason.

"Do you not want me to hold your hand?" he smirked playfully.

"No, that's not it," I blushed at my reply.

"I have an idea," he said. "We'll get to a cave that's nearby, warm your hands, then build a fire," he said.

"Fine," I agreed stubbornly.

As we walked, neither of us talked. I was grateful for the silence. It wasn't long before I was lost in thought. How could I have not realized that Miles was Ishvalan? How could I ever be more than friends with him if I couldn't even look him in the eyes? How could we even be friends? What would he think of me if he ever found out what I did in Ishval?

All these thoughts circled my mind as I robotically walked side by side with Miles. We made it to the cave in a speedy manner. We sat down against the far wall, huddled closer than I wanted. I found myself grateful for my shivering, for once. Miles couldn't tell I was shaking because I was nervous around him. Our silence still reigned as he continued to hold my hand. I didn't know how much time had passed before he stood up. "Here," he tossed his gloves at me. "Those will keep you warm until I get back with the firewood," he left the cave. I was left alone with my thoughts.

I stared at the gloves Miles had left, unable to bring myself to put them on. Miles was the only reason I was alive now, yet I had mercilessly murdered his people. I felt as helpless as I did back then in the war. I bowed my head, folding my hands over it, staring downward. Before too long, Miles returned. I heard him shifting the wood into a proper pit. "Now how do you- I told you to wear those," he said. He walked towards me, grabbing my hands, forcing them into the gloves. "You're not going to lose your fingers out here," he said. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing," I took one of his gloves off, much to his dismay. But I replaced them with an ignition cloth glove, just like Roy's. "I'm just making us a fire," I said.

"How?"

"Lightning alchemy is an extension of flame alchemy," I explained. Kindling the fire, I sat next to it, welcoming its warmth. Miles sat next to me, so close I could feel the body warmth radiating from him. Despite my freezing body screaming to get closer, I scooted away. I already took too much from him, I couldn't take his body heat too.

"Did I offend you?" he suddenly demanded.

"Of course not," I replied. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Then why are you suddenly giving me the cold shoulder… not literally," he added. I looked up at him, only to find those ruby eyes staring in a mixture of sorrow and a slight hint of anger. I instantly looked away. Was that how my victims would look at me if they could? "Colonel," Miles called my attention back to him. "If this is about the war, don't worry about it," his voice was soft. I looked at him, my eyes wide with horror. Did he know? Did he know about the lives I have taken? The families I have destroyed? The chaos I have caused? "The Flame and Lightning Alchemists were the heroes of the Ishval Rebellion," he explained. "Everyone knows that. But what you did exactly is unknown to everyone but other vets from the war. But I know you wouldn't kill anyone unless your life depended on it," he said.

He had me all wrong. He didn't know anything.


	4. Of Nightmares and Daydreams

I awkwardly scooted closer to him to share his warmth, allowing him this image, the image of a defender, not an attacker. He took my hands in his own once more, warming them. I felt myself relax as he continued to hold my hand and make small talk. I found myself leaning against him, staring into the burning embers. "We made a pretty good team," he said. "Buccaneer wouldn't even take on one tundra bear, but you took on two without so much as batting an eye!" he tried to get me to respond.

"Maybe we could bring the bears back," I suggested.

"They'd make a good throw rug for General," he commented. We laughed for a moment before a massive yawn replaced it. "Aww, is the little Central girl tired?" he mocked.

"Yes, she is," I replied. "Central soldiers are used to operating on a full eight hours of sleep," I chuckled. With a soft smile, Miles pulled away from me and laid down, motioning for me to come over. "No way," I made a face of disgust.

"Get over yourself, Colonel," he rolled his ruby eyes. "It's just to stay warm. You know you'd have frozen to death already if it wasn't for me."

"And I appreciate it," I inched away from him. "But I am not sleeping that close to anyone."

"You are such a Central soldier! You can fight, but when it comes to inter-human relations, you kinda suck," he smirked.

"What was that?" I demanded, irritated that he had insulted my people-skills.

"You heard me," he grinned. "Do you want to prove me wrong?"

We stared at each other for a moment.

"Scoot over," I migrated towards him. With a look I can only describe as delight took over his face, he made room for me. I laid down next to him, facing the fire, the back of my head against his chest. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"You're so cold," he mumbled.

Aw, it matches my heart, I joked tiredly. I stared into the embers before slowly nodding off.

I remembered Ishval. I brought my victims' faces to the forefront of my mind from my subconscious where they now lived. I ran through the blood stained sand streets as buildings began to crumble and explode all around me. People were crying in pain, agony, and sorrow. A child looked up at me with a mixture of tears and blood fell from her red eyes. "Please help me," she begged. With a heavy heart, I turned and left the child to die. When I began to walk, I bumped into someone. I looked up to peer into the ruby orbs of Major Miles. "I- Major, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to keep you from doing something you'd regret," he hugged me tightly.

"It's too late," I hugged him back.

"Calm down," he cupped my chin to look him in the eyes. I cast my gaze downward, avoiding his ruby eyes. "Look at me," he instructed. I subtly shifted my gaze upward. Our eyes locked and he smiled. I found myself smiling among all the chaos around me. Within the same moment, his lips were locked on mine. I blushed wildly, tightening my embrace around him. His kiss was soft, warm. He was so gentle and his hands wrapped lovingly around my waist.

Suddenly, my hands twitched. Miles' hands lost their grip. His lips were losing their warmth. I pulled back to look at him, to ask him what was wrong. A gasp escaped my lips as I saw his face. Instead of seeing his crimson eyes, I saw a pool of crimson blood spewing from where his eyes should have been. I stepped aside slowly and watching him fall. His dead body made a thud sound as he fell to the ground. My eyes widened in horror as I realized my circles must have activated and killed him. I stared at his body in shock before realizing he was just another victim, just a number added to the thousands that I've hurt. I fell to my knees, a phrase repeating itself over and over again from my lips. It took me a while to realize what I was even saying. "I love you… I love you… I love you…"

"Well done, Lightning Alchemist. Another dog has been put in his place," a demonic voice said from behind me. My heart began to race. Not him… anyone but him. I felt a hand on my shoulder, arousing so many different feelings within me, both good and bad.

I jolted upright, feeling my eyes fill with warm tears. In a frantic effort to keep them from falling, I covered my eyes with one hand, leaning back on my other. I felt my bangs fall over my hand. My breath was short and choppy as I choked back sobs. That dream had been so enlightening. I loved him. And I had killed him. "Colonel?" I felt Miles' position shifting as he too sat up. He placed a comforting arm on my shoulder that I managed to slap away.

"Go back to sleep," I said. "That's an order."

"One that I cannot follow, Colonel," he defied. "Something is wrong. What is it?"

"It was just a bad dream," I told him.

"Well you mumbled my name," he said. "Did I do something bad in your dream?"

"No," my fingers curled as I tried to wipe the images away. "You were the good part. It was bad because… because you died," I admitted. The weakness in my voice made me feel so vulnerable. And the feeling of vulnerability just added to the torrent of emotions the nightmare had riled up. I couldn't bear to see the look on Miles' face. "And you died… because of me… we were in Ishval… and… and…" my voice trailed off. Miles grabbed the hand that covered my eyes, pulling it down. Instantly, my eyes were closed. His hand held mine gently.

"Open your eyes," he ordered. I reluctantly did so, keeping my gaze downward. A stray tear made its way down my face slowly. "Colonel, please look at me," he said. This time it was more of a request. Even so, I did what he asked. "Permission to… um…" he struggled and fumbled for words. I wasn't sure what he really wanted to do, but I granted him permission all the same. With that, he leaned close, extremely close. He gently kissed my cheek, managing to make the tear vanish. "It was just a dream. Don't let it bother you," he said.

"If only it was that easy," I said.

A moment of silence passed between us. "I had a dream as well," his voice was different than I'd ever heard it before. "It wasn't a nightmare," he explained. "It couldn't be, you were there," he continued. I stared at him, wondering what exactly happened in this dream. It was easy to tell he was blushing, even in the darkness of the cave with the low light of the dying embers. "And we were in a dark place… and we were… we were…" from there, it was easy to guess what the dream was about. I slowly inched towards him, gently placing my lips atop his, hoping like crazy that this really was what he was talking about. When he returned the kiss wholeheartedly, I had my answer.

"Let me see if I can make your dream come true," I whispered in his ear before kissing him once more.

When I awoke, I was snuggled into Miles' bare chest. From his breathing, I could tell he was awake. I looked up to see a peaceful look on his face. His arms were wrapped around my waist, holding me securely against his body. Realizing I was awake, he looked down on me. A smile crept onto his normally stoic face, a warm look taking over. "Good morning," he grinned. His very voice made me blush, flashing back to everything he had whispered to me the previous night. My face only got redder when he brought his lips to my forehead. In response, I interlocked our fingers. "Colonel-" I put a finger on his lips, raising a brow. "Maya," he corrected himself. "As much as I hate to say this, we've been MIA for over 12 hours. We better head back," he said.

"R-right," I forced myself up, my body complaining in retaliation. I forced my uniform on, once again struggling with the zipper. With a playful smile, Miles easily zipped it. He reached into my pocket and pulled out my ignition cloth gloves. "They're better than nothing," he said. Rolling my eyes, feeling like a scolded child, I placed the gloves on.

"Happy?" I asked.

"Almost," he smirked, grabbing one hand with his own, intertwining our fingers.

We walked out of the cave, into an especially bright day at Briggs. The sun was bright and prominent in the blue sky. The snow was extra mushy today. Miles continued to lead me towards the fort.


	5. Phone Call

**I just realized how to do author's comments… Herp derp… Anyway. How've y'all been liking the story so far? I'd hope you like it if you're on chapter five. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**Please review. I love reviews. No flames, though. :D**

**I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

**I do, however, own: Maya Malone, Travis Hart, Josiah McCloud, Stormy Remington, and James Pierce. My friend owns Jae Forrest, the Blackwater Alchemist.**

Upon entering the fort, we had at least seventy men asking what had happened. Before we could answer any of the questions, a booming, angry voice resonated through the fort. "Miles! Malone! My office! Now!" the General ordered from the end of the hallway we were in. With a sheepish look to Miles, we followed her. I heard everyone utter their condolences in advance.

When we were safely secured inside her office, with the door shut, she started her lament. "Where the Hell have you two been! Do you have any idea the chaos you've begun! Buccaneer almost sent a search party out for you! What do you have to say for yourself!" she demanded. Panic-stricken, I turned to Miles, desperately hoping he'd know what to do, how to butter up the Ice Queen. Unfortunately, he suffered from the same loos of words I did. Neither of us knew how to explain what had gone on between us. We avoided the general's icy glare at all cost, looking at the dirty floor. General Armstrong saw our shared looks of speechlessness, her eyes narrowing in realization. "Good job getting yourself laid, Miles," she complimented, earning a wild blush from me and an awkward cough from the Ishvalan. "Just don't let it happen again," she ordered. "Colonel, you and Major Miles were missing for over twelve hours. Every person MIA has to be reported to Central Command. I made the call personally. And who should pick up the phone but Colonel Mustang, your brother," she complained. "_I _got chewed out because of _your _disappearance. Go call your brother," she ordered. "You worried him," she added. "Dismissed!"

Without any further ado, Miles and I fled form the Ice Queen's chamber. "That went better than I thought," I commented.

"She's not as bad as you make her out to be," he defended his superior.

"Well, I better go call Roy," I said. "I'll see you later?" I asked. He nodded before departing swiftly, returning to the Ice Queen's lair. Chuckling to myself, I walked to the communications room, only to find my raven haired roommate, already occupying the telephone. It took only moments for me to realize she was talking to her boyfriend, the one and only Jean Havoc.

"But you're a better shot… no you are… no you are… Stop it, Jean!"

"Hey, I need the phone," I said.

"Sorry, Jean," Blackwater apologized, her blue eyes glaring at me as she made no extra effort to hurry up her phone call. "Lightning is being a pest, that's all… Anyway… stop gossiping like an old lady… so what were you saying Fuery and Hawkeye did? Nu-uh, no way he would say that! Are you serious…?"

"Hey, give me the phone!" I reached for it.

"Oh, so the people down in Central know about it? Yeah, she was gone for twelve hours! I thought for sure a tundra bear got her! It turns out she was with this major! I don't know the whole story, but I'm pretty sure they did the nastyyyy," she sang. "But I'm not sure, so don't start spreading rumors, okay?" she continued on with her conversation as though I weren't there.

""General Armstrong told me to call Roy!" I said, still trying to reach the phone and contain my anger all at the same time.

"Jean, I gotta go. Lightning has to call Big Brother," she mocked. "General's orders… no, you hang up first… No you… Seriously, you," she argued.

"No, me!" I finally grabbed the phone and roughly hung it up. Blackwater and I glared at each other for a moment before she slapped me hard across the face, walking away with a huff. Sighing, I dialed my brother's office at Central Command. The phone rang several times. I began to doubt he would answer, until he finally did.

"Colonel Mustang," he greeted formally.

"Hey, this is Colonel Malone," I greeted. "Morning," I said.

"Maya! Where have you been! The report I got said you were missing! What happened! Are you okay!" I had to hold the phone an arm's length from my ear to stop from losing my hearing completely. Before I could even open my mouth to answer any of my brother's questions, the phone was taken from me. I was shocked to look up and see the devious blue eyes of the Blackwater Alchemist. Try as I might, I couldn't get the phone back.

With a malicious look, she said, "Maya went missing with an officer here and they had sex. Go," she handed the phone back, putting as much distance between her and me as she could before the rampage began.

"Maya, what are you thinking! You're not up there to screw around! You're there to work! Who was it! I'll make sure he never bothers you again!" he yelled. I could almost see him putting on his gloves and storm all the way up to Briggs to personally fry my now-boyfriend. "Maya, answer me!" he yelled. I once again held the phone an arm's length away.

"Chill bro," I said. "We just fought some bears," I said. It was the truth, more or less.

"Why?" he asked, baffled.

"We kinda just ran into them and they weren't too happy about it," I explained.

"So… you didn't have sex?"

Unable to lie to my older brother, even over the phone, I sheepishly admitted, "Well… I never said that."

A moment of silence passed between us.

"I'll kill him," he said bluntly.

"You wouldn't have it in you," I said, knowing it was the truth. One look into those crimson eyes and he'd back down.

"Don't you remember what I did to your last boyfriend after he hurt you?"

"I try not to," I said. "You two were evenly matched and it was kind of awkward." Despite the joke, I recalled the intensity between the two men. It was a long time ago, back in the Ishval War. My heart and mind were so messed up and I was desperate to escape the war, I was willing to take any form of escape anyone was willing to give me. Unfortunately for me, I placed my trust in the wrong person. Somehow I found comfort in those cold eyes, allowed my fingers to run through his dark hair as we kissed. He was known to the military as the Crimson Alchemist, but to me, he was my only escape from the Hell that took place around us.

Another moment of silence passed.

"Listen, sis," his tone was lower. I instantly knew we weren't talking as soldiers, we were talking as brother and sister. "I have intel that Scar has headed north," he said. My heart skipped a beat… and not in the good way. "Be sure to tell Blackwater and any other State Alchemist up there… But that's not the bad part for you," he said. I glared at the phone. What could possibly have been worse than having a serial killer hot on my trail? "Kimblee has been released from prison and he's been sent to capture and even kill Scar. I bet he's not far behind," he said.

That was the only thing that could have been worse than Scar looking for me.

"Sis?" he brought my attention back to him. "Are you okay?"

Taking a deep breath, I answered desperately, "I just want to go back to Central with you."

"I miss you too," he said. "I'm glad you finally called, though. The Madame's been getting worried too," he said. I smiled as I thought of Madame Christmas, our foster mother. The first thing I would do when I was back in Central was revive Karaoke Night at her bar. "So about this guy," his tone was devious and playful. "What's he like? Would I approve?"

"You'd like him," I said. I heard footsteps behind me. It was probably someone who just wanted to use the phone. I felt no rush. "He's hard-working, loyal, dependable… He's made my transfer here almost fun," I smiled. "He's a major and everything a Briggs soldier should be… strong, clover, quick-thinking… not to mention he's extremely handsome," I gushed to him. "And I think… I think he might feel the same way," I blushed.

"Just promise me you'll be careful, okay? I don't want to see your heart broken again."

"You're such a good big brother!" I teased.

"Just don't tell Fullmetal. If he knew I had a soft spot for you, it would ruin my reputation."

"And we wouldn't want that," I chuckled.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Take care of yourself, alright?"

""Yeah," I replied. "You too."

"I love you, Sis," he said.

"Love you, Bro," I said before hanging up. With a sentimental smile, I turned to leave. My smile faded upon seeing a man in a snow white suit. His eyes were as dark as the shadows. Two stray strands of his black hair fell into his face. Covering his dark hair, save for a long ponytail, was a white hat, matching his suit. The very look in his eyes sent shivers down my spine. His eyes were so cold, so merciless. "Major Malone," he took off his hat, bowing. Next to him, stood a baffled Miles, his dark face masking the slightest hint of red. Placing his hat back atop his head, he came back up, grabbing my hand softly. He gently placed it to his lips.

Enraged, I violently jerked my arm back, cradling the kissed hand as though it had been poisoned with painful venom. "It's _Colonel_ Malone," I corrected. "You'll do well to remember that, Crimson Alchemist," his very title tasted sour on my tongue.

**So, review, maybe? That'd be nice. I'd love you forever. **

**Again, no flames.**


	6. A Fight in the Fort

**So. Big thanks to the people that have left reviews or added this story to their favorites. You have no idea how much that encourages me! If I could, I would bake you like a dozen cookies or something. Thanks again!  
Hope you guys enjoy chapter 6!**

"Aw, even for an old war pal like me?" he asked, a look of false hurt on his face. I would have bought it if it weren't for his icy eyes.

"_Especially _for an old war pal like you," I spat.

"Aw, are you still mad at me?" he asked.

I looked at Miles, who was watching the encounter. I didn't want him to know about the past I shared with Kimblee. It would ruin everything I'd worked for. I watched as Miles adjusted his sunglasses and cast his gaze downward, as though giving Kimblee and me privacy without leaving. "Of course not," I lied. "I wouldn't waste the energy for someone like you."

A devious grin broke out upon his face. "You're even colder than I remember! It's making you even more desirable!" he said. I couldn't stop the blush that warmed my cheeks as I remembered all the nights we would spend together in Ishval. It was funny how he mentioned my cold demeanor. When we had officially met, I was crying my eyes out. But that was another story. It took everything in me not to kill Kimblee where he stood. "Oh that's right," Kimblee placed a finger on his chin thoughtfully. "You have a new man now, don't you? I heard you telling the Flame Alchemist all about him. Why don't you show me my competition?" he asked, believing he actually stood a chance with me now.

I cast my glare downward, staring at the gray tiles. "Not in your lifetime," I uttered, turning to walk away.

"Suit yourself," Kimblee shrugged, following me. Miles was close behind. We walked into a hallway where Miles stopped to listen to a frantic sergeant's ramblings.

"I understand. Go find out for sure. We'll wait here for you," Miles leaned on the wall, showing the sergeant our determination to stay. The mousy looking sergeant scurried off.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"It would seem Lieutenant General Raven and Major General Armstrong have gone missing. A search party has been dispatched," he explained. I looked at Miles, studying his face. There was something more to this. I made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"I hope they're okay," is all I said.

"They'll be fine. Our Ice Queen is just that after all, an ice queen," he said, proud of his superior's stature.

"I guess you're right," I said, still trying to ignore Kimblee's presence.

"Maya-" Kimblee began.

"_Colonel Malone_," I corrected.

"Whatever," he said. "Get this. Our buddy Major Miles here, is an Ishvalan!" he laughed as though his nationality was a joke.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about my colleague as though he wasn't here," I growled.

"Calm down, babe. He's just an-"

"He's not _just _anything!" I barked. "He's ten times the man you could ever hope to be!" I glared at him before adding, "And don't call me babe!"

Kimblee stared at me, his merciless eyes wide in shock for a moment before letting out a flamboyant laugh. He pulled himself together before looking at me with a mixture of amusement and realization. My eyes widened as I figured out what was so funny to him. He now knew what I was trying to keep from him. My eyes narrowed, silently bidding him to keep his silence if he wished to continue breathing. He grinned maliciously and I knew I wouldn't get my wish. I crossed my arms, trying to show him how angry I was without having to say anything. Of course he didn't get my mental command. "I'm sorry," he let out another laugh, bringing a finger to his eye, wiping away a tear of laughter. "It's just, I never expected _you _to fall for an _Ishvalan_! You of all people!" he emphasized. "Does he know about the war? How you and I would have contests?" he asked. Taking my silence as a no, he turned to Miles to elaborate. "No? Well here's how it went: Men were ten points, women were seven points, and children were five points."

"Shut up, Kimblee," I warned under my breath.

"She didn't? Well surely she told you about all the lightning she sent through your countrymen's hearts? How all Ishvalans would cower in fear at every strike of lightning from the rare thunderstorm? How children would tell scary stories about the legendary Lightning Alchemist, who never showed any mercy?" he continued. "Or about how she killed her own childhood friends simply because they were Ishvalan? Here's the greatest part!" he grinned. "She could do it all with her _bare hands_! She would put her hands on someone like this," he placed his hand on Mile's chest, right over his heart. "She used her understanding of the electric flow of the human body to use it against her opponents, electrocuting them from the inside. It was so _beautiful_!" he gushed.

"Shut up," I repeated.

Kimblee crossed his arms defiantly. "What about the Malone Massacre?" he asked. This earned a somewhat intrigued look from Miles. That was what I was afraid of… "Well, as I'm sure she failed to tell you, Maya- Colonel Malone and I," he winked at me, proud he had remembered my title. "We were _very _close. I would be exhausted after a long day of my oh-so fulfilling job and just wanted a way to enjoy myself and the Colonel, a Major back then, would be waiting in my tent for me, waiting for me to give her an escape from the war. We would sleep together every night for almost two years. But the war just got to her and she snapped. She suddenly wasn't happy with how I was performing in bed and she broke up with me. So I figured I would just give her some time and talk to her when she was more… _rational_," he chose his words carefully.

"You don't understand," I didn't know if I was talking to Kimblee or Miles.

"She killed over seventy people that night. All for me," he laughed. "She really wanted to make up for our little fight. She knows exactly what I like… Don't you, babe?" he asked, gently placing his hand on my cheek. I instantly slapped it away, my cheek burning as though it had been bitten by a snake. Standing up straight, he leaned on the wall next to Miles. "I don't know why you're trying to keep your already-tainted slate clean for this guy. I know everything about you and I accept it. What more do you want? It would be easier to be with me than to be with this Ishvalan and have to keep secrets about what you did to his country," he said, as though trying to coax me back into his arms. "Leave this dog."

"You don't know anything," I said, my voice barely audible.

"I know that you kill Ishvalans," he said.

"_Killed_," I corrected. "I killed Ishvalans."

"You don't want to kill him?" he asked, utterly shocked. "I'll do it for you," Kimblee lifted his hands. Instantly, I tore my gloves off, raising my hands to meet his. He stared. "You would kill me?"

"Without a second thought," I glared.

"Colonel," Miles said softly. I looked at him, distracted for a moment. Suddenly, Kimblee raised his other hand and placed it on the wall, changing the strong metal into a feeble, weaker metal. In doing so, he allowed the force of the massive amount of snow outside to pile inside, atop Miles and me. Kimblee took this opportunity to run, like the coward he was. Enraged beyond belief, I began struggling to break my arm free of the freezing binds. "Maya, listen," Miles said, also struggling. I let out a shiver as I continued trying to free myself while Miles continued talking. I couldn't make out what he was saying because my fury blinded and deafened me.

"If I could just make a circle," I broke my shoulder free. "Then a simple transmutation would change this snow to water," I didn't even realize I interrupted the Ishvalan.

"Maya, are you listening to me?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," I lied, shivering taking over my whole body as the snow soaked through even the thickness of my Briggs coat.

"Then what did I say?"

"Uh," I froze for a second, trying to remember what he had said. In all honesty, I didn't want to listen to him because he probably hated me now. He was probably saying how monstrous I had to have been in Ishval to make a game out of murdering his countrymen. I couldn't face him after my deepest secrets had been thrown in front of the very man I was trying to keep them from. Miles would never want to talk to me, let alone kiss me again now that he knew all that I had done. And it was all Kimblee's fault. Once again, Kimblee had to ruin my one chance at happiness. The thought of those cold eyes threw me into such a rage. With much more malice than intended, I spat, "I'll kill him!"

I could physically feel Miles' gaze upon me. Instead of focusing on his disappointment, I continued to free my arm. "Finally!" I smirked victoriously, shaking the snow from my arm. In the same instant, I had a water transmutation circle drawn upon the surface of the ice cold snow. I wasn't an expert in this type of alchemy, like Blackwater, but it didn't take a genius to be able to understand the composition of snow and how to decompose it into nothing but harmless water. Activating it, the snow melted and left Miles and me dripping wet. As soon I was free, I was off and running, following the path Kimblee had taken.

I heard Miles call after me, even run after me for a few moments. Despite his superior Briggs build, no Amestrian could match my speed. The only person I've found that could possibly hope to outrun me would be the Alchemist Killer, Scar. He was able to dodge my lightning at its fastest. "Where is he?" I demanded to a group of soldiers in the galley. "Which way did the Crimson Alchemist go?"

"It looked to me like he was going to take a stroll on top of the wall," Captain Buccaneer answered, trying to slick back his Mohawk.

"Thanks Captain," I said before taking off again. I raced to the stairs, taking them in great strides. It was only moments before I was atop the fort, staring into the back of the Crimson Alchemist. In response to my presence, he turned around to look at me, with a smile upon his face. For a moment, we stared at each other. The wind howled and whipped through our hair. The sky was turning a threatening gray, preluding an ice storm.

"You chased after me," he said softly, placing a hand over his heart. "How sweet."

**Oooo. What's gonna happen? Stick around to find out!**

**Reviews please? Maybe?**


	7. A Fight on the Fort

… **See what I did with this chapter title and the previous one? Heehee… I hate writing battle scenes, so I apologize in advance if the pace is too fast. Other than that, I hope you enjoy it!**

Without warning, I placed my bare hand on the ground, sending my lightning his way. Unfortunately, he knew my fighting style too well, even after all this time, and was able to jump out of the way. He continued to jump from side to side, slowly making his way towards me in no particular pattern, making it next to impossible to strike him with lightning. "Be careful," he warned. "You could hit me."

"Yeah, that's the point," I continued to send lightning through the top of the fort beneath us.

A look of dark finality entered his expression. "Very well then," and with that, his counterattack began. Not only was he dodging my lightning perfectly, but he was sending little explosions my way. They weren't enough to kill me, but they would severely injure me if I wasn't careful. I rolled out of the way as a bomb exploded where I had been moment earlier and projected more electricity towards him. At the same time, we launched equally strong attacks towards each other, my lightning meeting his bomb halfway, producing a fiery explosion. The force of it sent me sliding back. I searched fervently for Kimblee, blinded by the smoke we had created. It was no use. With my luck, he probably got away.

I looked up, seeing a silhouette jumping from the smoke. My eyes narrowed and I jumped back. Kimblee landed right in front of me, throwing punches left and right. Fortunately, Kimblee was my sparring partner back in Ishval and I was able to predict most of his attacks. The bad part was, he knew everything I would do, where my attacks would come from. I would punch with my left arm, he would block with his right and retaliate with a roundhouse kick. It was like a beautifully choreographed dance with perfect offense and defense by both dancers. We both landed kicks on one another at the same time, jumping a safe distance away. I looked up to inspect Kimblee's position. He was on the ground, activating a hastily drawn transmutation circle. When I looked closer to see what he had created, my eyes widened to realize it was a finely crafted sword. My eyes widened as he ran for me. I quickly drew yet another water transmutation circle, transmuting the snow below us into a thick cover of fog. I slowly backed up, trying to think of a plan.

All of a sudden, I felt a dark presence looming behind me. Before I could even turn around, I felt something cold, colder than I had ever felt before, pierce its way into my side. My breath got caught in my throat as I looked down. A blood stained blade was protruding from my side, some of the crimson liquid dripping from the tip onto the snow below us. I watched my side in shock as my black Briggs coat slowly turned red. I clenched my teeth painfully as I felt the blade twist. I let out a squeaky gasp of pain before clenching my jaws shut. I couldn't give Kimblee the satisfaction. That was something I absolutely could _not _allow. My entire torso was in searing pain. "You may be fast," he said, mercilessly withdrawing the blade from my side as fast as he could. I fell to my knees as soon as the sword was gone, holding it tightly in an attempt to stop the flow of blood. "But I'm faster," he laughed deviously. I spat out a mouthful of blood, glaring up at the Crimson Alchemist.

He was still looking at me, his expression nothing but amused. "You should see how beautiful you look," he said. "All that blood," he lifted the blade he had tainted with my blood to his lips. "It's almost too much to resist," he licked the blade, covering his tongue with blood, _my _blood. He turned to walk away as I closed my eyes in shame. I couldn't let him walk away. He had to pay for everything he'd done to me. More importantly, he had to pay for what he'd said to Miles, what he'd said _about_ Miles. I weakly placed one hand on the ground, holding my side with the other. Blood covered my tattooed palm, but I only needed one circle to take down Kimblee with his back turned. "Poor, poor Lightning," he said, his gaze cast back towards me. Before I could react, he was already upon me. He pulled the sword back, and I lifted my arm to send my lightning through the metal of the blade.

Unfortunately, my newfound injuries made my attacks slower. Just as I was about to perform my transmutation, Kimblee sliced my palm with his blade. "It must be horrible for _you _to feel this slow," he laughed maniacally. With a look down at me, he tossed the bloodstained blade behind him, into Drachma. "I guess it really is over," is all he said before departing.

I sat there for a moment, holding my side in pain and wallowing in my defeat. I had to move. If I didn't get help soon I would… I would die. I continued to grovel, watching as my injury continued to bleed, seeping through my fingers and painting the snow a deep crimson color. The wind whipped and nipped at my bare hands and open wound. I felt the first snowflakes of the imminent blizzard. I had to move now. Gritting my teeth, and tightening my grip on my side, I forced myself up, letting out a harsh cry of pain as it throbbed in retaliation. I was only able to take a single step before sliding on the sheet of ice beneath me. Reaching frantically for the railing of the fort, I realized that they were above me. But I wasn't on the ground.

I was falling off the fort.

My life raced before my eyes. In a single instant, I saw everything I had done in Ishval, both good and bad, mostly bad. I recalled the first time I picked up a microphone at Madame Christmas' bar. I remembered Roy and me spending endless nights studying alchemy. I saw when I was presented with my black Amestrian Stallion at the top of my class and among the best in the Amestrian Cavalry. I saw Miles' face lit up by the small campfire. I remembered the tenderness of his kiss, the softness of his voice…

Suddenly, all was still.

I looked around and deemed I was still alive. Snow was still falling and I was staring far into Drachma. I felt a warm, tight hold on my wrist pulling me upward. I continued to hold my side tightly as this new pull threw it into a whole different level of pain. It went from throbbing and numbing to _burning _and throbbing and numbing. I was hoisted atop the fort and placed on my own, unstable feet. Falling to my knees once again, I gave in to the pain. I hid my face from whoever had helped me up, hoping to keep my weakness a secret. "Colonel," I heard _his _voice protrude into my world of pain. I refused to look at him. "I need to get you to sick bay," he said. It was an order and I was in no condition to defy him. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was amused. A _major _was giving a _colonel _orders. "I'm going to carry you on my back on the count of three. One… two… three," he hoisted me atop his back, my arms wrapped around his neck. My hand clenched my wrist as my wound was now exposed to the elements.

Miles was so warm… as usual. My uninjured hand wrapped around the one Kimblee had sliced, and they rested atop his chest. His strong arms were under my legs, keeping me in place. Sighing, I leaned my head against him. I paid attention to nothing but the methodic beat of his footsteps. Left… right… left… right… I closed my eyes, matching my breathing with his. In… out… in… out… I would have soon lost consciousness if he didn't begin talking. "Hey, stay awake," he said. His tone didn't contain the malice I thought it would have. In fact, it was quite the opposite. "Just listen to me and stay awake," he repeated. I nodded, hoping he'd take that as a proper response. "I don't care what you did in Ishval. I should have told you after your dream in the cave. Your past is just that… the past. You are the one I want. If you consider your past a part of you, I want it too," he said.

"No you don't," my own voice sounded foreign. It was raspier than usual, my weakness took over even my voice.

"Who are you to decide what I want?" this time, his voice had the anger I had been anticipating.

"I…"

"You're not," he said. "And that's all there is to that. Second, _never _do that again."

"Do what?"

"Fight in an emotional state like that. You'll only get bad results. That's why I didn't fight him myself," he said. "But I guess this isn't the first time something like this has happened… is it?" he asked. I instantly knew what he was talking about. He was talking about what Kimblee had mentioned… the Malone Massacre. "Can you tell me about it?"

"It's not what he made it out to be," I said, my own voice growing weaker and weaker every time I opened my mouth. I continued through clenched teeth as a wind whipped by, nipping at my side. "It wasn't just because we broke up. First off, _he _broke up with _me. _The war was like Hell on earth… My unit was sent in early on in the war… But not a single one of them survived… The cavalry should never have been sent in… We were slaughtered left and right… I couldn't help them… My best friend went AWOL… The whole war was maddening. I was killing innocent people for no reason… What kind of monster would do that? I couldn't help anyone… All I did was hurt people… Kimblee breaking up with me, taking away my only form of escape, trapping me in that world where _I _was the monster, where _I _was the killer… It was too much to handle… And I… I…" I couldn't even finish what I was trying to say. My voice cracked, my anger and regret making their way down my face in the form of teardrops. I snuggled closer to his warmth, my tears falling onto the back of his neck. "I'm sorry."

"Colonel," his voice was low, soft.

"I'm so sorry," I repeated. "I'm sorry," I continued.

"For the massacre?" he asked.

"Not just for that… the whole war, fighting like this when you told me not to… bleeding on your uniform," I said.

Miles gave a hearty chuckle.

"Don't worry about it… It'll wash out. Now just shut up and save your energy."

**See? How was the pace? Did it sound okay or a little rushed? Reviews please?**


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